Hands Across Our Land is a grassroots action designed to bring attention to the plight landowners and communities face at the hands of bullying, multi-billion dollar corporations in their quest to build new fossil fuel infrastructure. We believe the rights of property ownership are fundamental to our democracy; that eminent domain should never be used for corporate gain and/or economic development. We believe the health, safety and welfare of our families and communities are paramount.  We will not be bullied into submission by the energy industry which chooses greed over people, shareholder profit over our environment. We will not become the energy industry’s sacrifice zones!

Initiated in Nelson County by Free Nelson, the first Hands Across Our Land actions were held on August 18, 2015, and thirty-five communities in 10 states participated,.  The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) became an integral partner with Free Nelson.  BREDL is now managing the annual Hands Across Our Land campaign, and in 2016  plans to double, perhaps even triple, the 2015 participation in 2016.

This year Hands Across Our Land organizers have chosen to include communities who are facing the devastating affects being caused by coal ash contamination.  As energy companies rush to close their coal ash pounds, billions of gallons of toxic coal ash wastewater are being dumped into our streams and rivers. These streams and rivers are the very same source for many water intake systems to municipal water supplies. The Environmental Protection Agency let us down when it refused to classify coal ash as a hazardous material knowing all the while it is radioactive and contains many heavy metals, some known to be carcinogens.

In Nelson County, actions will take place at the Stone Bridge on Route 250 on the Nelson County–Augusta County Line at 5:30 pm (click here for the event’s Facebook page) and at the Wingina Bridge on Route 56 on the Nelson County–Buckingham County line at 6:30 pm (click here for the event’s Facebook page).

There will also be an interfaith prayer service at 5:00 pm at Union Hill Baptist Church on Route 663 in Buckingham County.  Pastor Paul Wilson of Union Hill Baptist Church; Marion Kanour, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Massies Mill; and Swami Dayananda of the Yogaville community will be among those who will offer their prayers.  All are welcome to join this event.

Further information about other site-specific HAOL actions will be posted on the BREDL HAOL Web page.  Check there for details of an action near you.